Security Deposit Return Deadlines by State (2026) and What a Landlord Can Charge
Every deposit deadline in the states where we clean, in one table, plus what counts as normal wear and tear, how cleaning fits in, and the steps that get your money back.
- Most states give a landlord 14 to 60 days to return a deposit or send an itemized list of deductions.
- Landlords can generally deduct unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and cleaning needed to return the home to move-in condition.
- Normal wear and tear, such as light scuffs and worn carpet lanes, usually can’t be deducted.
- Dated photos, a move-out clean and a forwarding address in writing protect your deposit.
Most states give a landlord 14 to 60 days after you move out to return your security deposit or send a written, itemized list of what they kept and why. New York and Arizona are among the fastest at 14 days; Alabama, Arkansas and West Virginia allow up to 60. The table below covers 38 states, including every state where we clean, plus Washington, DC, with the statute and a link to our full guide for each.
Below the table: what a landlord can and can’t deduct for, how cleaning fits in, and the steps that protect your deposit.
Deposit return deadlines by state
Deadlines usually run from the day the tenancy ends and you hand back the keys. Some states count from your written demand or require a forwarding address first, so open the state guide for the details.
| State | Key deadline | What it is | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 60 days | Time for an Alabama landlord to refund the deposit or send an itemized list | Ala. Code 35-9A-201 |
| Arizona | 14 business days | Arizona deadline to return a deposit, counted from your written demand and handover | |
| Arkansas | 60 days | Time for an Arkansas landlord to return the deposit or itemize deductions | Ark. Code 18-16-305 |
| California | 21 days | Time for a California landlord to return the deposit with an itemized statement | Civil Code 1950.5 |
| Connecticut | 21 days | Time for a Connecticut landlord to return the deposit | C.G.S. §47a-21 |
| Delaware | 20 days | Time for a Delaware landlord to return the deposit with an itemized list | 25 Del. C. § 5514 |
| Washington, DC | 45 days | Time for a DC landlord to return the deposit with interest or give notice of withholding | 14 DCMR 309 |
| Florida | 15 or 30 days | Florida deadline to refund the deposit in full, or to send a written claim notice | |
| Georgia | 30 days | Time a Georgia landlord has to return your deposit or explain deductions in writing | |
| Illinois | 45 days | Time for an Illinois landlord to return the deposit; 30 days to itemize any deduction | 765 ILCS 710 |
| Indiana | 45 days | Time for an Indiana landlord to return the deposit with an itemized list of damages | Indiana Code 32-31-3-12 |
| Iowa | 30 days | Time for an Iowa landlord to return the deposit or explain any deduction in writing | Iowa Code 562A.12 |
| Kansas | 30 days | Longest a Kansas landlord can take to return the deposit balance | K.S.A. 58-2550 |
| Kentucky | 60 days | Time for you to respond to a Kentucky landlord’s refund notice before the balance can be kept | KRS 383.580 |
| Louisiana | 1 month | Time for a Louisiana landlord to return the deposit after the lease ends | La. R.S. 9:3251 |
| Maine | 30 days | Maximum time for a Maine landlord to return the deposit under a written lease | 21 days for a tenancy at will |
| Maryland | 45 days | Time for a Maryland landlord to return the deposit with interest | Real Property § 8-203 |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | Time for a Massachusetts landlord to return the deposit | G.L. c.186 §15B |
| Michigan | 4 days | Time for you to give a Michigan landlord your forwarding address in writing after moving out | |
| Minnesota | 21 days | Time for a Minnesota landlord to return the deposit with interest or explain deductions | Minn. Stat. 504B.178 |
| Mississippi | 45 days | Time for a Mississippi landlord to return the deposit after you move out and ask for it | Miss. Code 89-8-21 |
| Missouri | 30 days | Time for a Missouri landlord to return the deposit or send an itemized list | RSMo 535.300 |
| Nevada | 30 days | Time for a Nevada landlord to return the deposit with an itemized accounting | NRS 118A.242 |
| New Hampshire | 30 days | Time for a New Hampshire landlord to return the deposit | RSA 540-A |
| New Jersey | 30 days | Time a New Jersey landlord has to return the deposit and interest, minus itemized deductions | |
| New York | 14 days | Deadline for a New York landlord to return the deposit or send an itemized statement | |
| North Carolina | 30 days | Time for a North Carolina landlord to return the deposit or itemize deductions | G.S. 42-52 |
| Ohio | 30 days | Time for an Ohio landlord to return the deposit or itemize deductions | ORC 5321.16 |
| Oklahoma | 45 days | Time for an Oklahoma landlord to return the deposit after your written demand | 41 O.S. 115 |
| Oregon | 31 days | Time for an Oregon landlord to return the deposit or account for it in writing | ORS 90.300 |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days | Time for a Pennsylvania landlord to return the deposit with a written list of damages | 68 P.S. § 250.512 |
| Rhode Island | 20 days | Time for a Rhode Island landlord to return the deposit | R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19 |
| South Carolina | 30 days | Time for a South Carolina landlord to return the deposit or list deductions in writing | § 27-40-410 |
| Tennessee | 60 days | Time for you to respond to a Tennessee landlord’s written refund notice before the balance can be kept | T.C.A. 66-28-301 |
| Texas | 30 days | Time a Texas landlord has after you surrender the unit to refund or itemize the deposit | |
| Virginia | 45 days | Time for a Virginia landlord to return the deposit with an itemized list | Va. Code § 55.1-1226 |
| Washington | 30 days | Washington deadline to return a deposit or send a documented statement of deductions | |
| West Virginia | 60 days | The longest a West Virginia landlord has to return a deposit, or 45 days after a new tenant moves in if sooner | § 37-6A-2 |
| Wisconsin | 21 days | Time for a Wisconsin landlord to return the deposit with an itemized statement | Wis. Stat. 704.28, ATCP 134.06 |
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and some cities add their own rules (Chicago and Philadelphia, for example), so check the current statute or ask a local tenant organization if a large amount is at stake.
What a landlord can charge for when you move out
The rules differ in detail, but across the states above a landlord can generally keep money from the deposit for:
- Unpaid rent and other charges you owe under the lease
- Damage beyond normal wear and tear, such as holes in walls, broken fixtures, burns, pet damage and stains that won’t come out
- Cleaning needed to return the home to its move-in condition, when it was left dirtier than normal use explains
- Other costs the lease and state law allow, such as removing belongings or trash you left behind
What a landlord usually can’t charge for
Normal wear and tear is the cost of a home being lived in, and it generally can’t come out of your deposit. Typical examples:
| Normal wear and tear (usually not deductible) | Damage or neglect (often deductible) |
|---|---|
| Light scuffs and faded paint | Holes, crayon or large marks on walls |
| Carpet worn in traffic lanes | Pet stains, burns or rips in the carpet |
| A few small nail holes from pictures | Broken blinds, doors or fixtures |
| Minor wear on counters and floors | Grease build-up, mold left to grow, a dirty oven and fridge |
A landlord also can’t usually charge the next tenant’s routine repainting or a standard “turnover fee” to every tenant regardless of condition, unless the lease and state law allow it. Each state guide in the table lists what that state allows.
Cleaning and your deposit
Dirt is one of the most common reasons money is kept, and it is the easiest to prevent. Landlords and property managers look hardest at the same places at every inspection: inside the oven and fridge, kitchen cabinets, bathroom grout and scale, baseboards, window tracks and floors.
A professional move-out clean works to that inspection checklist. Our published prices:
| Home size | Move-out cleaning |
|---|---|
| Studio | $190 to $260 |
| 1 bedroom | $210 to $320 |
| 2 bedrooms | $260 to $380 |
| 3 bedrooms | $320 to $480 |
| 4 bedrooms | $400 to $600 |
| 5 bedrooms | $500 to $750 |
Compare that with the deposit at stake and with what a landlord would charge to have the home cleaned for you. Carpet stains are often the biggest single deduction, so if the carpet needs it, add carpet cleaning while the rooms are empty.
How to protect your deposit, step by step
- Read the lease for cleaning, carpet and move-out terms, and the notice you have to give.
- Find your move-in photos and checklist. They show what was already there.
- Clean after the movers leave, not before, so nothing is tracked back in.
- Take dated photos and a video of every room when the clean is finished, including inside the oven, fridge and cabinets.
- Ask for a walk-through with the landlord or manager if your state or lease allows it.
- Give your forwarding address in writing and keep a copy. In several states this starts or protects your rights.
- Diary the deadline for your state from the table above. If it passes with no refund or list, write to the landlord and cite the statute.
If money is kept unfairly
Reply in writing, item by item, with your photos and receipts, and ask for the money back by a set date. Many states let a tenant recover more than the amount wrongly kept if the landlord missed the deadline or acted in bad faith, and small claims court handles most deposit disputes without a lawyer. Our state guides explain the steps and penalties for each state.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
It depends on the state: 14 days in New York, 21 in California, 30 in Texas, Ohio and New Jersey, 45 in Maryland and Virginia, and up to 60 in Alabama and Arkansas. See the table for every state we cover.
What can a landlord charge for when you move out?
Generally unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and cleaning needed to bring the home back to its move-in condition. Normal wear and tear, like light scuffs or worn carpet, usually can’t be charged.
Can a landlord charge for cleaning?
Yes, when the home is left dirtier than normal use explains. A documented professional move-out clean is the simplest way to avoid that deduction.
What if my landlord misses the deadline?
Write to them, cite your state’s statute and ask for the deposit by a set date. Many states let tenants recover more than the amount wrongly kept, and small claims court handles most disputes.